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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28906806">A Little Bit Soft</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/musicalgalaxy1000/pseuds/musicalgalaxy1000'>musicalgalaxy1000</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Witcher (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Anniversary, Episode: e02 Adventure Time: Distant Lands Obsidian, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia Has Feelings, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia Is In Love, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia Sings, M/M, Mentioned Eskel (The Witcher), Mentioned Lambert (The Witcher), Shared Talents, Song Lyrics, Song: Monster (Adventure Time: Distant Lands)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 11:00:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,509</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28906806</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/musicalgalaxy1000/pseuds/musicalgalaxy1000</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Soul mates share talents!</p><p>It's Geralt and Jaskier's 25th anniversary since meeting in Prosada. Geralt has a surprise for his bard.</p><p>Song fic inspired by "Monster" from Adventure Time: Distant Lands (Episode 2 - Obsidian). Lyrics altered slightly to suit the witcher and the bard.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>49</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Little Bit Soft</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Shared Talents AU originally by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blue_Daisies_In_The_Shadows/pseuds/Blue_Daisies_In_The_Shadows"> Blue_Daisies_In_The_Shadows </a> in their fic <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23273005/chapters/55734436"> Shared Talents </a>. Read it for more shared talent Geralt x Jaskier!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was almost a surprise when Eskel had suggested this as an anniversary present. His fellow wolves would sometimes tease Geralt for knowing so much about music, like how he could carefully pick apart everything wrong with Lambert’s singing. Although nobody could disagree—the man’s singing was atrocious, especially when he was drunk—witcher’s weren’t made for music. They were made to fight and trained to kill monsters. </p><p>Music didn’t fill the halls.</p><p>Picking up hobbies on the Path or while wintering at the keep wasn’t uncommon, but this wasn’t an interest of Geralt’s. He picked up music theory and keeping pitch through his soul mate’s own talents and studies. </p><p>Similarly, Jaskier was better than just about any human swordsman on the continent through no dedication on his part. (Arguably his ability to befriend Roach was also gained through his bond with Geralt, but the bard would scoff and say it was just his own charms.)</p><p>Perhaps it was their differences that made destiny pair them together. </p><p>After twenty odd years, with many bumps in the road, Geralt stopped fighting destiny on this. Not long after he’d claimed Ciri as his own did he go after the bard, following a trail of missed concerts and scorned husbands (and a few indifferent wives). He apologized to Jaskier. And every day he did what he could to make up for his actions. He had known Jaskier was his soul mate from the beginning, and he had started to really understand what that meant. </p><p>A few more years of pining turned flirting turned romancing got them to this point. Jaskier was setting up camp with practiced swiftness. Ciri was training with Yen for the week, having some time off the Path and in a single locale was good for her. And today marked twenty five years since Jaskier waltzed up to him in Prosada with bread in his pants and love in his heart. </p><p>Geralt hadn’t even realized he’d remembered the date until he and Ciri passed through the town while he was still searching for Jaskier. She made an off handed remark about Geralt always choosing to sit in the farthest corner of the tavern. He said this was different. She didn’t drop the subject. </p><p>Seeing Jaskier again less than a week later didn’t help untwist the knots in Geralt’s stomach. But destiny wanted this. Geralt wanted this. And, it seemed, so did Jaskier. (Ciri was also rooting for them, insisting Jaskier travel with them to the next village after he accepted Geralt’s apology.) </p><p>In the following months, he realized Jaskier had also noted he date of their first meeting. Twenty three years out and he raised a quick toast around the campfire. His toast was of course followed by a lengthy rendition of “Toss a Coin” which Geralt still pretended to hate. </p><p>They settled into a more amicable companionship thereafter. On occasion Geralt would come back from hunting rabbits for dinner to see the lark practicing swordsmanship with the cub and only try to repress his smile a little bit (before ultimately giving in). Now and then he’d actually give his two cents on Jaskier’s latest works, with less sarcasm and more musical know-how. Accepting Jaskier meant accepting fate and all that came with being his soul mate. And Geralt was more than willing to accept all of it.</p><p>Just under a year later, everyone stayed at Kaer Morhen for the winter. Yennifer even stayed for a few weeks to help Ciri hone her magic. Geralt had set clear boundaries with Yen that kept them on good terms. And Jaskier opened up to her a bit more once she agreed to play nice. The girls had more regular lessons from there on out. </p><p>Many shared stories and games of Gwent later, Jaskier became part of the pack. “Just the four of us for decades and now two more in the past year,” Vesemir had commented passively; Jaskier swore he had seen the older witcher smile at that.</p><p>Unbeknownst to him, Jaskier had been pack the moment the other witchers had met him. Spreading the good word of the witchers was a deed they could not thank enough. And being Geralt’s soul mate helped too. In between time with Geralt and his lute, Jaskier’d play gwent with Lambert, sit in the library with Eskel and Ciri, and even help in the kitchens (at Vesemir’s discretion).</p><p>Vesemir was showing the bard how to properly skin and prep a deer when Eskel sidled up next to Geralt in the main hall. “Bard busy?” Geralt hummed. “Figured. You look grumpier than usual.”</p><p>“Thinking.”</p><p>“About the bard.”</p><p>“Mmm.” Eskel knew very well Geralt was saying yes and fuck off. He did not fuck off. “It’s been almost twenty five years since we met. He likes to do things for those milestones.”</p><p>“You want to get him something?”</p><p>“I don’t even know where to look. Or what to get.”</p><p>“He’d probably like just about anything you get him, being the romantic that he is.”</p><p>“He shouldn’t just like something out of obligation to me.”</p><p>“I’m pretty sure that’s not how soul mates work. But I wouldn’t know. Maybe ask Lambert.”</p><p>Geralt laughed at that. Of course Aidan and Lambert got on great, but that didn’t mean the wolves talked about that sort of thing. It was a matter of teasing more than anything else. But Aidan was another witcher. Jaskier was a bard. And a viscount. “Not like I could afford anything nice. Or to his taste.” </p><p>“Then don’t buy something. Make something.”</p><p>“Like what?”</p><p>“You could write him a song.”</p><p>“I don’t write music.”</p><p>“But you can. You’ve been humming to yourself for years. And I might have caught a tune or two from Roach’s stable when I go to feed Lil Bleater. There’s more than one songbird in the keep.” Geralt shoved him aside, almost off the sofa. Eskel shoved him back. “I’m being serious.”</p><p>“I know.” The thought had nearly crossed his mind before, but he’d shoved it back. He’d only just grown to properly appreciate music. Could really make something worthwhile by himself? Even with Jaskier’s skill available to him, it seemed like a stretch. Jaskier could turn mundane activities into lovely tunes. Geralt didn’t think he had a creative bone in his body. “What would I sing about?”</p><p>“Oh so now you like my ideas?”</p><p>“You are the poet of the family.”</p><p>“I think Jaskier’s taken that position.” Geralt hummed fondly in agreement. “Probably just something about the two of you. Oh! Maybe about the day you met, since that’s what you’re celebrating.”</p><p>“It wasn’t a great day, all things considered.” Getting them both captured and telling Jaskier to piss off probably wasn’t the ideal subject for a love song. Realizing that’s what he was going to be writing both scared and excited Geralt. His soul mate’s fondness for this stuff leaked into his own affection for the bard. But it didn’t entirely make up for his lack of direct experience. He’d never really <em>tried</em> to use his shared talent before. Bits of it just slipped out on occasion. </p><p>“Well it couldn’t have been that bad if it got you to here, now can it?”</p><p>Geralt hummed in agreement. Meeting Jaskier was just about the best thing that had ever happened to him. Even if it took him two decades to admit it. “Twenty five years is a long time for humans, isn’t it?” </p><p>“Yeah, I’d say so. But he’s got a long way to go, with a witcher for a soul mate,” Fate had a way of keeping soul mates together for as long as possible. From Vesemir’s findings, witchers’ soul mates stuck around a few centuries regardless of mutations. Geralt had dropped everything to tell Jaskier when he first heard the news. Nobody dared disturb the pair for the rest of that evening. Knowing they had so much more time together was the greatest gift destiny ever gave him, besides the bard himself. And perhaps Ciri.</p><p>“Long enough to warrant a song, then,” Geralt decided. His lark deserved a song.</p><p>————————————————</p><p>And now the couple was sat in front of the fire, leaning against each other as Jaskier rambled on. Conveniently, the subject of their anniversary came up. “It feels like just last week we were in Prosada,” Jaskier sighed. “Crazy how it goes, isn’t it?”</p><p>Geralt hummed in acknowledgement. Seeing his chance, he said, “I have something for you.”</p><p>Jaskier looked up from the fire. “You didn’t have to get me anything, love.”</p><p>“It’s been twenty five years, Jas. I had to do something.”</p><p>“Has it already? I’ve lost track.” That was a lie. They both knew Jaskier, ever the romantic, kept track of all their most important moments. <em>How else am I to sing of my darling witcher?</em> he’d say. “So what is it?” he asked cheekily.</p><p>“It’s not… physical.”</p><p>“Aw and here I thought sharing our bedrolls was just the start of a nice, debauched evening,” Jaskier teased. They’d been at it quite often since his first winter at the keep. Though it was more than enough to just be in each others’ arms, any time Ciri was away with Yen was an opportunity neither would want to pass up.</p><p>“No, that too. Never fear.” Jaskier’s eyes pierced Geralt in confusion, noting the strain in the witcher’s voice. “It’s not much but… Hmm…” <em>Gods what if Jaskier thought it was stupid?</em> Until now he’d been too focused on perfecting the tune; he’d gotten lost in the music just as his lark had described so many times. But if Jaskier didn’t like it, he didn’t know what he’d do. <em>I should have just bought something back in the city. As a back up. </em></p><p>“Yes, Geralt?” His partner’s eyes were full of love and encouragement. He couldn’t <em>not</em> give him this gift.</p><p>“Can I see your lute?”</p><p>“Oh! Sure…” Jaskier’s heart picked up a bit in anticipation. Surely this wasn’t what he thought. But his witcher had surprised him many times, especially since they’d gotten together romantically. He tried to keep his composure, not wanting to scare Geralt away with his over the top ideas of romance. </p><p>He handed over the instrument with as much care as he would a sleeping child and admired the way his lute’s thin neck fit in his witcher’s strong hands. The familiarity with which Geralt held the instrument was almost heart warming in itself. Of course Jaskier knew how the thing “magically” always stayed in tune of late. It was beyond considerate of Geralt to use his shared talent like that, it was down right affectionate. There was almost no questioning the white wolf’s intentions now. Jaskier looked at his partner in ernest.</p><p>Geralt tentatively strummed each string. The lute was perfectly tuned already. He knew that; he’d done it himself not even an hour ago. And he was definitely not stalling. He just had to be sure. This had to be perfect. He cleared his throat and began.</p><p>
  <em>I know we'll never grow old together</em><br/>
<em>'Cause you'll never grow old to me</em><br/>
<em>You're the song in my heart</em><br/>
<em>And I'm scared 'cause that means</em><br/>
<em>I'm a little bit soft</em>
</p><p>Geralt kept his eyes down for the first verse, instead focusing on his fingers. The resonating strings blocked out background noise, such as the fire crackling or Jaskier’s heartbeat. The witcher looked up for the next verse.</p><p>
  <em>Don't beat yourself up, Jaskier</em><br/>
<em>It wasn't just your song that I was running from</em><br/>
<em>We were messed up wolves who taught ourselves how to live</em><br/>
<em>And I'm still scared that I'm not good enough</em>
</p><p>He grew a bit more bold, plucking the strings to play louder. All the times he’d worked on the song these past months had been so hurried and quiet to not make Jaskier suspicious: scribbled notes hidden under supply lists and only lightly touched strings while Jaskier bathed at any inns they stayed at. His enhanced hearing meant simply tapping the strings was enough to hear while perfecting the tune. But "a performance is meant to be heard," he could hear Jaskier saying.</p><p>
  <em>I've always felt like a monster</em><br/>
<em>Long before we had met</em><br/>
<em>But only seen as a monster</em><br/>
<em>Let's just say I'm used to it</em><br/>
<em>And I grew tough 'cause love, it only hurt me back</em><br/>
<em>But loving you's a good problеm to have</em><br/>
<em>And I'm used to that, but I could get usеd to this</em><br/>
<em>Yeah, I'm used to that, but I could get used to this</em>
</p><p>Jaskier’s eyes were wide, nearly wet with the tears that he held back. Geralt had never been one to vocalize his feelings. They’d reached a balance in communication over the years; Jaskier learned his soul mate’s many “hmms” and Geralt picked out the important parts of his ramblings. Geralt sharing so much, in a delightfully poetic way, was overwhelmingly sweet.</p><p>
  <em>And I know we'll never grow old together</em><br/>
<em>'Cause you'll never grow old to me</em><br/>
<em>You're the song in my heart</em><br/>
<em>And I love that it means</em><br/>
<em>I'm a little bit soft</em>
</p><p>It was a damn good song, too.</p><p>
  <em>You're the song in my heart</em><br/>
<em>And I love that it means</em><br/>
<em>I'm a little bit soft</em>
</p><p>The last note faded into silence for just a moment before Jaskier threw himself into Geralt’s arms, kissing him passionately.</p><p>“That was beautiful, darling.” Hearing his witcher, his beloved, sing such sweet words was just wondrous. He kissed him again. </p><p>“You really liked it?”</p><p>“Oh, Geralt. I loved it,” he punctuated his review with another kiss. He was too enthralled in happiness to articulate every wonderful thing in his beloved witcher’s song. </p><p>“Hmm. I love you.”</p><p>“I love you too.”</p><p>This was what it meant to be truly loved, beyond sharing abilities. It was sharing moments and memories. Sharing themselves and appreciating the other. </p><p>Jaskier laughed, overwhelmed with happiness. “Well my gift is gonna look like shit now.”</p><p>“You didn’t have to get anything.”</p><p>“It has been twenty five years, Geralt,” Jaskier parroted. Geralt smirked at having his own words used against him.</p><p>“Well I’m sure it’s great.”</p><p>“You’re not easy to get gifts for, Mr. “I don’t want anything.” But I think I outdid myself. Or I thought I did until you came out with the best and sweetest song I’ve ever heard. But here it is.” He handed Geralt a bundle of cloth.</p><p>He unfolded his gift and noted it’s size. It was well made, warm material and very big. “What—” he stopped short when he saw a sewn in patch with a familiar design.</p><p>“It’s a coat. For Roach. Since her cover is getting old. And the patch is so you two can match.” </p><p>Geralt’s heart swelled with warmth. “Jaskier, it’s perfect.” He leaned in to kiss his bard. Jaskier really knew his witcher. It was surprisingly practical. And anything for Roach was worthwhile.</p><p>How a wandering bard gifted something so practical and a witcher gifted something so sentimental was unimportant. Their gifts made the other happy, and that’s all that mattered. </p>
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